The instant invention relates to flat belt transports and more particularly to apparatus for driving the flat belt transport in applications where there is no ability to locate a drive shaft adjacent the downstream pulley for the flat belt transport.
In designs employing flat belt transports, it is sometimes necessary to provide for drawbridge type access to a double belt transport. In situations where it is necessary to hinge the transport about the upstream pulley shaft and where there is no room to place the drive to the downstream pulleys adjacent the transport, drive is sometimes implemented at the upstream shaft. Drive is also implemented at the upstream shaft in situations in which no through shaft can be placed between the pulleys at the downstream end.
It is undesirable to drive double belted flat belt transports from the upstream pulleys because the slack is placed on the sides of the transport belts which are in contact with the transported items. Driving double belted flat belts from the upstream pulleys thus diminishes the normal force between the double belts and hence, the item being transported, which becomes critical at high speeds.
The instant invention therefore overcomes the aforesaid problems and provides a means for driving a flat belt transport from its downstream pulley when there is no room for a drive motor or adjacent belts and pulleys, and is applicable in situations where multiple belts must be driven at the downstream location but a continuous shaft cannot be used between the belt pulleys at the downstream location.